Q&A with John LogieAn associate professor of rhetoric in the Department of Writing Studies (College of Liberal Arts), John Logie has taught numerous MLS courses throughout the years, and most recently served as program co-director.

A little bit about you...why the interest in rhetoric? Why is it relevant in the modern world? What's the appeal?
What appeals to me about rhetoric? It's law, politics, and marketing all rolled into one! It's about seriously examining whether and how you and I can change one another's minds--or anyone else's. It's about words doing work in the world.

May 1, 2014

Welcome to the spring 2014 issue of c.c.e. times! In this edition of News and Notes: Commencement 2014; big news from the Construction Management Program; awards, honors, and accolades; Top Coast Festival coming to the Twin Cities; and more!

As always, if you have something newsy or noteworthy, please send us an e-mail!

U of M Extension educator and Master Gardener emerita Julie Weisenhorn didn't have "roots" in horticulture--she began her career in marketing and advertising, in fact. It wasn't until she and her husband bought their first home and all the greenery that came with it that she became interested in landscape gardening.

"Our house had been owned by Cary George--the curator at the time for the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden in Minneapolis--and as he was walking me around the property, I began to think to myself, 'Oh boy. I better figure out what's going on here, because I'm going to have a responsibility to keep this up!'"

It didn't take long before Weisenhorn discovered that not only was she capable of taking care of all those plants, she had a natural affinity for it. And then, responsibility turned into hobby turned into...new career. "I found I really enjoyed figuring out what worked and what didn't, learning new things, trying things, so eventually I enrolled in the Master Gardener program. Which got me turned on to teaching others."

May 1, 2014

By Kristoffer Tigue; additional reporting by Megan Rocker
This story originally appeared in the Minnesota Daily in a slightly different format (March 24, 2014).

A foot of hard snow clings to the more than 70 acres of land at the Sannerud family farm in Ham Lake, Minnesota, where other farmers have planted corn and mushrooms and laid out compost.

For three generations, the Sannerud family has rented its land to others rather than tending it themselves, but that will change soon, when Inter-College Program (ICP) alumnus Eric Sannerud ('13) and two other University students will turn a chunk of that land into Mighty Axe Hops. Their new project will farm local sustainable hops, filling a growing demand from the state's booming craft brewing industry.

There are 47 companies registered in the Minnesota Craft Brewers Guild, and the majority of them are based in the Twin Cities. And that doesn't include breweries just beginning to establish themselves, such as Fair State Brewing Cooperative and the Day Block Brewing Company, which both operate out of Minneapolis.

November 8, 2013

In this issue: ICP alums win major grants; recent program awards and honors; and more.

Welcome to the fall edition of c.c.e. times, the College's e-newsletter publication. As always, please remember all of our best stories come from YOU--the readers! Do you have an idea for a profile or feature story? Are you aware of a newsy or noteworthy tidbit? Send us an e-mail!

News and Notes

IBH honored by UPCEA
In September, the Master of Professional Studies in Integrated Behavioral Health program (IBH) received the 2013 Celebration of Excellence Award for Innovative Credit Program from the University Professional & Continuing Education Association (UPCEA)-Central Region.

The groundbreaking IBH program is designed to address a growing need for qualified behavioral health professionals trained to work with individuals experiencing co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders. Innovative in both its content and delivery, the program provides easy access to courses, integrates learning with real world application in clinical settings, employs an online platform for clinical field supervision, and utilizes a dynamic portfolio process for student evaluation and graduate readiness.

November 8, 2013

Information Technology Infrastructure Program prepares graduates to take on big roles in Big Data--and beyond.

The College of Continuing Education (CCE) is host to several applied bachelor's degrees that allow students to bring their work experience to the classroom. Each of these degrees is designed by a team of university staff and industry experts with the adult professional in mind.

"The B.A.S. degrees fit well into CCE's suite of programs," says Michelle Koker, the College's director of undergraduate degree programs, "because they provide adults a flexible way to get the communications, business, and technical skills they need to move into higher positions in their industry, or move to a new field altogether."

The Bachelor of Applied Science in Information Technology Infrastructure (ITI) is one of those distinctive, interdisciplinary degrees.

November 8, 2013

Construction Management alumna uses an interdisciplinary team approach to build career success

As she turned 50, and her youngest child graduated from high school, Ann Jacklitch decided to finish her undergraduate degree at the U. "I had a two-year degree in architectural drafting and estimating, and was working as a plans reviewer in the University Building Code Division.

"Previously, I'd worked in architectural design for 20 years (including 10 years for the U), followed by 2 years as a building inspector, and then nearly 10 years as a plan reviewer for the U. I felt I had a strong background in building codes, and in design, but was missing that third piece of the equation. Earning my B.A.S. in the CM program would give me that--it would give me a better understanding of the construction perspective/aspect, and enhance what I was doing in my career."

That rounded perspective, Jacklitch believes, has been a crucial component in her academic and career successes. "So much of my learning was done in project teams--in groups that were made up of people of varying ages and experiences, as well as professional backgrounds."

November 8, 2013

Soul singer Gloria "I Will Survive" Gaynor has nothing on the humble honey bee. The busy little creature is part of the superfamily Apoidea--a grouping of nearly 20,000 species of bees making up seven to nine subfamilies. Found on every continent except Antarctica, in every habitat on the planet that contains insect-pollinated flowering plants, bees have survived as a species for more than 50 million years.

But now, honey bee populations around the world are disappearing at alarming rates, victims of "Colony Collapse Disorder."

McKnight Professor of Entymology and MacArthur Genius Fellow Marla Spivak is at the forefront of crucial bee research that may help keep the insect on the map...and many of our most popular foods and goods on supermarket shelves.

May 29, 2013

c.c.e. times has a wide audience--noncredit and credit students, the general public, and faculty and staff--and, as such, we value many different types of story content: long, short, motivational, laudatory, newsy, you name it.

Like our other media and PR communications--social media, blogs, and CCE Current--c.c.e. times doesn't happen in a vacuum. It needs your input to keep going! Although the audience for each publication differs, the overarching goal for them is the same: to highlight some of the inspiring, intriguing, cool, amazing, informative, and all-around awesome things that have been going on in our College.

The stories we run feature the students, colleagues, and programs that make CCE such a unique part of the University--and the community as a whole.

And while we diligently keep our eyes peeled and ears tuned for newsworthy items...the best source for all these great stories is you--the staff of the College. So please feel free to contact me with ideas for features that you think might make a good addition to a future edition of c.c.e. times (or another one of our publications/PR vehicles).